


Space

by 30xf



Series: 201 Days Of X Files [9]
Category: The X-Files
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 19:56:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4759013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/30xf/pseuds/30xf





	Space

"What did you want to be when you were a kid?" Mulder asks, spinning himself around in my chair. He's been hanging around in my office all morning, and starting to slightly get on my nerves.

"Didn't we have this conversation already?"

"No, I told you I wanted to be an astronaut, and you made fun of me," he answers, though he doesn't sound hurt.

I'm trying to make myself look busy. After arriving at work and checking in with him down in his office, I told him I had things to do in my office. In reality, I just wanted some space. So when he followed me up to my office, I had to find things to do. I am, at the moment, rearranging a filing cabinet that doesn't need rearranging. "I didn't make fun of you," I protest with a sigh. 

He leans back in my chair and tosses a wadded up ball of paper up and catches it repeatedly. "Well, you made it clear you did not share the same aspiration."

I feel like he's going to break the chair. I haven't had it very long, but the more he leans it back, the more it creaks like it's been around for years. I start to wonder if he treats his own things this way when I realize I haven't answered his question. "It's boring," is all I say, moving a bundle of files back to where I just moved them from.

He sits up suddenly, "Being an astronaut is boring? Were you paying attention at all on that case?"

I close the filing drawer harder than I intended, "No, I mean what I wanted to be is boring."

Seemingly disinterested, he leans back in the chair again, and it positively groans. I'm starting to wonder why we even have separate offices if we're always either in his or in mine. If only he would go back to his office in the basement and I could sit in my own chair and put everything he's moved on my desk back where it belongs. "So what did you want to be?" he repeats, nearly dropping his ball of paper.

I sigh again and place my hands on my hips, not sure whether I'm more annoyed with him, or with myself. "A doctor. I wanted to be a doctor."

He stops and really looks at me for probably the first time all morning. "Why's that boring? You got your wish."

My eyes roll of their own volition as I head over to grab my jacket off the hook. "I didn't make a wish, Mulder. I worked hard for years--"

"I know that, Scully," he stands and tosses the ball of paper across the room towards the garbage can. It hits the rim and lands unceremoniously on the floor. "I wanted to be a basketball player more than I wanted to be an astronaut." 

We both look at the ball of paper, and then at each other. I can't help but laugh. "Don't expect me to pick that up," I warn.

He shrugs, "Doesn't matter to me, it's your office." He heads towards me, grabbing his coat off the back of my chair, but darts towards the garbage at the last second, "Kidding; just kidding," he assures me as he places the ball of paper in the can.

I shake my head. As much as he can get on my nerves, I do get bored up in this office by myself sometimes. "Come on, we're gonna be late for Colonel Belt's funeral." It occurs to me that perhaps he's been stalling all morning. Putting off going to the funeral of his childhood hero. I soften towards him immediately, feeling guilty for being so annoyed with him. "You can come by my office tomorrow and work on your basketball skills," I allow with a grin.

"Thanks, Scully! Maybe we'll stop later and get you that pony you've always wanted," he jokes, standing aside in the hallway to allow me room to close and lock the door.

"I'd settle for dinner," I tell him and he smiles, putting a hand at the small of my back and guiding me out of the building.


End file.
